Perfect Almond Flour Cookies | Elizabeth Rider

These easy almond flour cookies are the perfect treat for any occasion!

I’ve been writing and baking almond flour recipes for over a decade and have tested every method to make the best almond flour cookies. This recipe makes a fantastic plain base, or you can add frosting, sprinkles, or chocolate chips to turn them into a seasonal treat.

Almond flour cookies are not only delicious and made with just 5 ingredients, but they are also gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, egg-free, and higher in protein than traditional flour cookies.

Made with just 5 simple ingredients, these cookies are perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth without the guilt or gluten.

Almond Flour Cookie Ingredients:

• 2 cups almond flour (not almond meal)
• 1/3 cup maple syrup (or honey; use maple to keep these vegan if desired)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (or butter, or your favorite cooking oil)
• 2 teaspoons high-quality vanilla extract (or almond extract or any extract, or you can omit it)
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda (not baking powder)
• 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt or fine-grain sea salt (I use Real Salt)

This recipe works with other nut flours, such as hazelnut flour. It does not work with regular wheat or all-purpose flour.

Savings on Ingredients:

I buy my almond flour, olive oil, salt, and other healthy pantry staples at Thrive Market, an online healthy grocery that cuts out the middlemen to give us the best prices. Here’s my partner link for 40% off your first order if you’d like to use it.

Instructions:

See the full recipe and tips in the printable recipe card below:

1. Preheat and Mix: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. In a mixing bowl, gently combine almond flour, baking soda, and sea salt. Make a well in the center and add vanilla, maple syrup (or honey), and olive oil. Mix with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until a dough ball forms.
2. Chill: To make rolling easier, place the dough in the freezer for 30 minutes or in the refrigerator overnight.
3. Roll and Cut: Roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper (not wax paper) to ¼ inch thick. Remove the top sheet and use a cookie cutter to cut out cookies, leaving at least ¼ inch between each. Alternatively, you can use your hands to press and shape into ¼-inch thick 1-to-2-inch round cookies if you don’t want to bother with rolling them out. They are prettier when rolled, but shaping them with your hands also works.
4. Bake: Discard the top sheet of parchment. Transfer the parchment paper with the cookies to a baking sheet. Bake for 6-9 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
5. Cool and Enjoy: Let the cookies cool on the counter for 10-30 minutes. Serve plain, dipped in chocolate, or frosted with vegan vanilla buttercream for a sugar cookie taste.

Variations:

• Seasonal: Use seasonal sprinkles, frosting, or chocolate chips to change up your cookies depending on the season.
• Sprinkles: Use festive sprinkles or decorator sugar that match the occasion or season. If using sprinkles or sugar, add them before baking so they stick.
• Frosting: Frosting these cookies reminds me of a traditional sugar cookie. You can use vegan vanilla buttercream or any frosting recipe you prefer.
• Chocolate chips: This recipe can accommodate up to 1 cup of added chocolate chips if desired.
• Dipped: Melt chocolate and dip or drizzle the cookies for a fun variation. You can see how I do that here.
• Buttery and/or brown sugar variation: For a buttery variation of these almond flour cookies, check out these Almond Christma Flour Cookies. You can easily change up the sprinkles or omit them to fit any occasion. The main difference is that the buttery version uses more butter (or oil) and brown sugar because if you use brown sugar or white sugar, you’ll need more butter or oil to bind the cookies. The recipe below uses maple syrup or honey, which helps bind the cookies without needing more oil or the addition of eggs. Both recipes are fantastic.

Print